Friday, October 16. 2015

The University of San Francisco (USF) is my alma mater. My name is on a plaque in the chemistry office for my academic exploits while I was there. Along with a degree in chemistry, I also got a whopping student loan debt that may never get paid off, but that is another topic for another time.

When people ask me if they should send their children there, I answer with an unequivocal "No!" USF should be a shining light in a city hell-bent on self-destruction through decadence. This Catholic university is called to be a literal foghorn calling out the truth in darkness. Instead it is no more than a child mimicking her surroundings simply so that she can fit in.

Thursday, August 16. 2012

Increasingly we are learning about the deep-seeded prejudice against girls in some Asian countries. With an estimated 163 million women in Asia "missing" due to sex-selective abortion, which is equivalent to the entire female population of the United States, the lives of Asian women are getting worse not better.

Mara Hvistendahl, reported in her book Unnatural Selection: Choosing Boys Over Girls, and the Consequences of a World Full of Men, that "Between 1992 and 2004 China's crime rate nearly doubled. In India from 2003 to 2007 rape cases surged over 30 percent and abductions by over 50 percent prompting the government to unveil female-only trains."

Tanushree Soni, gender expert from Plan International, in an interview with Trustlaw said, An imbalance of sexes fuels human trafficking and sexual exploitation. It endangers economic development and increases social instability as a growing population of men search for partners. When you see very highly skewed ratios of sex, its very likely youll get a high prevalence of violence against women and girls.

So what can we do to help? We can give to charities that take in, and educate poor girls in Asian countries in hopes that these precious little ones will have a better life.

One such charity is the International Foundation for Hope. The mission of IFH is "to uplift and empower economically disadvantaged children by providing basic educational opportunities that are necessary for them to become productive, self-reliant, and self-sufficient adults."

Tuesday, July 17. 2012

This characterization of the many facets of being pro-life is so brilliant I wish I could say I thought of it. Scott Rae, in an interview with John Stonestreet at BreakPoint.org, brings the pro-life movement into the 21st century in an attempt to get us all to wake up to the perils we are facing.

Rae describes three progressions of pro-life issues:

Pro-life 1.0 deals with "the taking of life." Abortion, assisted suicide, and euthanasia

Wednesday, June 6. 2012

I have realized what separates the progressive way of solving humanity's problems and the right way. Poverty, disease, pain, disability, unintended pregnancy: all issues we have to deal with in this life. The right way acknowledges that man's problems are just that: of man. Humans are the owner and the problems belong to us. They are ours to solve. The right way to deal with these issues sees that every human life is valuable and that to address our problems we start there: intrinsic value of human life.

The progressive way is to equate the problem with the person, then get rid of the person and call it good.

Crisis pregnancy? Don't support adoption to a loving family, instead kill the fetus.

Genetic disease? Don't find a cure, instead find a way to detect the problem earlier, and then kill the fetus or throw away the embryo. (And call that a cure.)

Disability? Don't affirm and support the disabled, instead deny them treatment or food and fluids so they die. (Because no one would want to live that way after all.)

Pain and discomfort with terminal disease? Don't find a better way to treat the pain, depression or discomfort, instead kill the patient with a lethal dose of drugs.

A great piece on eugenics in The Guardian from February, reminded me of this progressive way of dealing with humanity's problems. When discussing the eugenic assertion that poverty was an inherited trait, Jonathan Freedland aptly points out the progressive mindset:

"It was not poverty that had to be reduced or even eliminated: it was the poor."

The progressive has never abandoned this approach. They continue to advocate getting rid of the people with the problem instead of tackling the problem.

The progressive way is not only evil, it never works. Why? Because untimely death is not a solution. Death instead steals away any possibility of a solution. The problem remains to plague another.

The right way recognizes this. The right way acknowledges that the way to solve our issues is to start from the foundation that all human life is valuable. Degrading and discarding life does nothing to remedy the underlying problem. Unless ALL human beings have moral worth and deserve dignity and respect, what would be the point of trying to solve our problems anyway?

Wednesday, May 16. 2012

A study done at the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine and Feinstein Institute for Medical Research showed that obesity is contributing to a "shortage of organs for donation." From Inquisitr.com:

In an analysis of 104 potential kidney donors, researchers at the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine and Feinstein Institute for Medical Research found that 23 percent of the patients were classified as morbidly obese. A person who is classified as morbidly obese is not able to donate an organ.

What to do to get more organs? Get people to lose weight:

Obese people are largely considered bad candidates for organ transplantation due to the strain the surgery and healing will put on their bodies. At times, Obese donors are put on diet and behavior management programs and doctors chart their progress monthly to determine if their eligibility has changed. Only 3% of those who try to lose the weight and become donors succeed.

Sachdeva offered the following recommendation for obese participants:

We need to target that 30 percent who are really motivated to lose weight. What can we do differently? We could put them in a more rigorous weight loss program, have closer follow-up, offer motivational support groups or even in some participants  if their BMI permits  consider bariatric surgery.

So lose weight (even undergo bariatric surgery), not for your own health, but so that you can become an organ donor.I don't have an issue with organ donation per se, but I do take issue with the increasing tendency to see our fellow humans, not as persons in their own right, but as harvestable biological material.

Friday, December 9. 2011

Leticia Velasquez had done the world a great service with her new book A Special Mother is Born. It is a compilation of stories from mothers (and a few dads) of special needs children. The overwhelming theme is that, while challenging, these children are far from hopelessly devastating as our culture of death imagines them to be. Instead they are truly gifts to be cherished. In this book, that is not simply a cliche. Each story relates a tale of how these children bring out the best in everyone around them. How fear and self doubt is replaced with love and hope and strength and most importantly faith. And it really does not take a special mother to have a special needs child. We are all able to answer the call and be enriched by the experience of embracing those with special needs. As Leticia says:

God does not choose the equipped, but rather He equips the chosen.

Leticia, a mother of Christina who has Down Syndrome, relates what she said after it was clear in the delivery room that Christina had Downs:

So on my way to my room, the nurses circled my gurney and said coldly, "We regret to tell you that this child has symptoms consistent with Down Syndrome."

I was ready with my response. "This child will never take drugs, go Goth, or shoot up a classroom. She'll learn the Faith and keep it her whole life. She's my best chance at getting a daughter to Heaven, and I consider her a special blessing from God." My answer came from a book Pregnancy Diary, by Mary Arnold, which I had read regularly for inspiration.

People from all walks of life can find such inspiration in this book as well. The people I think that most need it are medical professionals. It seems that in every story the medical community is guilty of a dereliction of duty. In a disturbing undercurrent, the book chronicles mistreatment of parents and children by doctors, nurses and genetic counselors. These so called professionals have pressured women into aborting their special needs children and have neglected these children if they were lucky enough to make it out of the womb. I have one thing to say to prenatal and postnatal medical professionals. You should be ashamed of yourselves and what your profession has become: a pusher of discrimination and death. It is time to leave death behind and embrace life. As this book clearly shows, it will make you a better person.

I love this quote from mother Christina Bogdan about our responsibility to spread the word about children with special needs:

With a 92% abortion rate for babies diagnosed with Down syndrome, and new specialized testing available to test even earlier in the pregnancy, I know now that God has a task for all of us: to tell the world what a blessing children with Down syndrome are. All life that God has created is sacred, and it is our job to bring the truth to everyone who crosses our path.

A Special Mother is Born does just that. It is the perfect Christmas gift for anyone with a special needs child or parents who are expecting. It is also perfect for the rest of us who have no experience of the challenges that these families face. The stories are so full of strength, hope and faith, I even recommended it to a friend who recently lost her child. But I would especially recommend it for the medical professional in your life who thinks death is the answer for children with special needs. I truly believe this book will open the eyes of anyone who is lucky enough to read it. You can purchase your copy of A Special Mother is Bornhere.

Wednesday, August 24. 2011

Many of my readers already know Nick Vujicic. Nick was born without arms or legs and has dedicated his life to spreading the Good News. His accomplishments are numerous including starting his own non-profit foundation, Life Without Limbs and starring with Eduardo Verastegui (of Bella fame) in The Butterfly Circus.

Imagine my surprise when I found Nick covering my favorite artist Tyrone Wells. "More" is itself an inspirational song, but it transcends with Nick and his story, becoming an anthem for the Culture of Life. Check it out:

Tyrone is an amazing musician in his own right. If you ever have the chance to see him live, do it. You won't regret it! Here is Tyrone's version of "More."

Tuesday, November 9. 2010

Tyrone Wells is my favorite singer songwriter. I recently went to one of his shows and he played his new song "Grace is Dancing." Grace is a two year old girl with Down Syndrome. Tyrone is a great story teller as well as a top-notch musician and he related the story of little Grace.

When Grace was diagnosed with Down Syndrome her parents were pressured to abort. They did not. But Grace came early at only 24 weeks in an emergency delivery. Not only did she have Down Syndrome but she was extremely premature. The doctors said she may never walk or talk or even survive.

Today Grace is not only two and walking and talking, but she is dancing. This fact inspired Tyrone to write a song for Grace. Following are videos of Tyrone performing "Grace is Dancing". The first video is the full song where Tyrone tells Grace's story. In the second, there is a glimpse of little Grace in the audience. (You can hear Tyrone get at little choked up at the sight of Grace with her father.)

I spoke to Tyrone Wells after the show and thanked him for writing such a beautiful song for a child with Down Syndrome. In a society where nearly 90% of all Down Syndrome children are aborted, a song celebrating the life of a Down Syndrome child is sorely needed.

I wish there was a special song for every child with Downs. I think "Grace is Dancing" is a great start. Grace is Dancing is available on iTunes. Please share it with everyone you know. We all need to be reminded all life is precious, even life lived with an extra chromosome.

Wednesday, October 27. 2010

Rest in peace Dr. Mildred Jefferson, the first African-American woman to graduate from Harvard Medical School. An avid pro-life advocate, she said the following profound words that grow more important everyday:

I am at once a physician, a citizen and a woman, and I am not willing to stand aside and allow this concept of expendable human lives to turn this great land of ours into just another exclusive reservation where only the perfect, the privileged and the planned have the right to live.

Sunday, December 20. 2009

I have said it many times, we abandon the human embryo at our own peril. By dehumanizing this tiny member of our species, we chip away at our own dignity and worth. A new initiative recognizes that to be pro-life is to be about protecting ALL human life, everywhere, even the tiny ones on ice. It is called the I Am Whole Life Initiative and it's ethic is this:

The Whole Life ethic acknowledges that issues that appear to be separate such as human sex trafficking, political violence, famine, abortion, female genital mutilation, euthanasia, pornography, embryo destruction and many others are actually related threats to the dignity of the human person.

The Whole Life ethic recognizes that a threat anywhere to human dignity constitutes a threat to human dignity everywhere.

The Whole Life ethic is dedicated to promoting and defending human dignity in all its stages. In the United States the biggest threat is abortion, other places it may be female genital mutilation, famine, forced sterilization, or lack of civil rights.

The I am Whole Life Initiative is the brain child of Jason Jones, the producer of the wonderful movie Bella. Jones is also the founder of the Human-Rights Education and Relief Organization or HERO which distributed $2 milion in food, medicine and other aid to Sudan this year.

Read more about Jason Jones and his efforts for Whole-life at World Net Daily.